1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to devices and networks that utilize wireless computer networks and methods of creating incentives for establishment and continued operation of wireless computer networks. The present invention further relates to methods and networks that allow users to access wireless services from wireless hotspots without requiring an account with each wireless hotspot location. Additionally, the present invention also provides incentives to rapidly expand the growth of wireless services to create an economic base of wireless services users and wireless hotspots locations.
2. Description of Related Art
The emergence of what are commonly called wireless hotspots has increased the mobility of wireless users and allowed mobile users to access network resources without requiring a physical connection to the large network. Many of these wireless hotspots have appeared in coffee shops and libraries, and allow users with wireless communication equipment to communicate with local area networks and wide area networks as they move about. The locations that provide the access do so to attract customers or because, in the case of libraries, they see such access as an extension of their governmental mandate. However, the equipment, monitoring and access services are not free, and the provider of the hotspot has to bear the burden of those expenses. As an example, a T-1 digital connection can cost approximately $1000 per month in 2002 rates to provide such a level of service. If the expansion of wireless hotspots is to continue so that they become ubiquitous, one possibility is for the persons using the hotspots to take up some portion of the costs.
In addition, there is also a “chicken or the egg” type problem with wireless access. Since the relative number of users of wireless devices in 2002 is not high, establishments do not generally have any incentive to provide wireless service for a small number of users. Similarly, while the number of establishments offering wireless services is small, users of the wireless devices do not generally have any incentive to sign up for those services if they are available in only a few places. One of the benefits of having consumers pay for the access services is that this would allow for the party receiving payments to create incentives to expand wireless access and thus increase the amount of payments received by the party receiving payments.
As such, there is a need for a method or mechanism that can create incentives for wireless devices and wireless hotspots to spread the use of wireless access. In addition, there is also a need for a system and a method that can monitor the use of existing services offered by wireless hotspot to wireless devices and provide incentives to expand the existing services based on use.